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COKE W. BALLARD, OF UNIVERSITY PLACE, NEBRASKA.

DREDGEZR'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 25, 1909.

Patented May 9, 1911.

Serial No. 514,576.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COKE W. BALLARD, a citizen of the United States,residing at University Place, in the county of Lancaster and State ofNebraska, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dredgers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to dredgers and more particularly to clam shelldredgers, the object being to provide a dredger which is so constructedthat when the hoisting cable is operated the scoops will be drawntogether so as to gather the dirt between the same.

A further object of my invention is to provide a dredger in which theframes carrying the scoops are so connected that when the hoisting cableis drawn upwardly so as to swing the scoops on their pivots the frameswill be drawn together.

Another object of my invention is to provide very novel means forswinging the scoops on their pivots so that the same will be loaded totheir greatest capacity when drawn together.

Another object of my invention is to provide the dredger with very novelmeans for operating both ends of the same so that when the lower end isbeing pulled the upper end will be pushed whereby the strain will berelieved to a certain extent.

A still further object is to provide a dredger which is exceedinglysimple and cheap in construction and one which is composed of a very fewparts which are so mounted and connected together that all danger of thesame becoming accidentally displaced is prevented.

A still further object is to provide means for tripping the scoops inorder to dump their loads, said means comprising a tripping cableconnected to the rear ends of the scoops which is also operated when thehoisting cable is operated so that when the tripping cable is releasedthe scoops will swing on their pivots.

\Vith these various objects in view, my invention consists in the novelfeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of partshereinafter described, pointed out in the claims and shown in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my im proved dredger showing the scoopsin an opened position. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 isa top plan view.

In carrying out my improved invention, I employ a pair of frames A andB, the side bars of which are provided with outwardly projecting strapsA and B which are overlappedand pivotally connected together as shown atC. The straps are provided with concave rollers E between which isadapted to pass the hoisting cable F which carries a block G at itslower end. Secured to the frames A and B are brackets H between whichare mounted guide pulleys H over which pass the ends of the trippingcable J which are connected to the ends of the scoops as will behereinafter fully de scribed. I

Pivotally mounted between the lower ends of the frames A and B arescoops K and L provided with bails K and L, the bail L being providedwith a hook L for engaging the bail K when the scoops are broughttogether so as to hold the same in that position as will be hereinafterfully described. These scoops K and L are substantially rectangular inshape and are provided with oblique ends as clearly shown and areadapted to be normally held in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1when lowered so as to gather a load and as the scoops are raised theyare swung on their pivots so as to turn the same in a horizontalposition and at the same time they are brought together as will be laterdescribed.

Pivotally mounted between the side bars of the frames A and B are leversM and N which are carried by crank shafts O and P upon which they arefixed, said crank shafts extending out through the side bars of theframes A and B and being connected together by links Q, so that when thelevers M and N are turned the frames A and B will be drawn together.

For swinging the levers M and N, I provide the lower ends of the samewith pulleys M and N over which passes a cable R which has its free endscrossed and are connected to the bails K and L and the cable isconnected centrally by a coupling member R to which a hook carried bythe block G is connected so that when the hoisting cable F is raised theends of the scoops will be drawn inwardly and at the same time thelevers are operated so as to force the upper ends of the same outwardly.

Pivotally mounted on the upper ends of the levers M and N are pushingbars S which have their free ends pivotally connected to the closed endsof the scoops K and L so that when the levers are turned the upper endsof the scoops will be pushed outwardly at the same time that the lowerends are being drawn inwardly so as to relieve the strain on the lowerends of the scoops which prevents the same from becoming bent.

The lower ends of the tripping cable J are connected to eyes carried bythe upper ends of the scoops K and L between the connections of the pushbars S and it will be seen that when the scoops are drawn together bythe hoisting cable the trip cable is also drawn upwardly so that whenthe proper height is obtained, then by releasing hoist cable and holdingtrip cable, the load is deposited.

The operation of my improved dredge is as follows: Supposing that thedredge is in the position shown in Fig. 1, ready to gather a load andthe hoisting cable is operated the cable R will be drawn upwardly so asto ends of draw the lower ends of the scoops together at the same timethe levers M and N and the crank shafts O and P are operated whichcauses the push bars to move the upper ends of thescoops-outwardly andthe crank shafts to rock which will draw the frames A and B together sothat the ends of the scoops will be brought together when they reach ahorizontal position. It will be seen that after the scoops are movedinto this position by swinging the boom carrying the dredge to thedesired position it is only necessary to release the hoist cable andhold the trip cable to deposit the load.

While I have shown and described the levers and scoops constructed inthis special manner it is of course understood that the scoops andlevers can be made in various other ways without departing from thespirit of my invention.

at I claim is 1. A dredge comprising a pair of frames pivotallyconnected together, scoops pivotally carried by said frames, crankshafts mounted in said frames carrying levers, push bars connecting saidlevers to said scoops, links connecting said crank shafts and meansoperated by the hoisting cable for swinging said levers and drawing thethe scoops together.

2. A dredge comprising a pair of frames pivotally connected togetherprovided with guide pulleys and rollers, scoops pivotally mountedbetween the lower ends of said frames, crank shafts mounted in saidframes carrying levers, push bars connecting said levers to said scoops,pulleys carried bysaid levers, a cable passing over said pulleys havingits ends connected to said scoops and a hoisting cable connected to saidcable.

3. A dredge comprising a pair of pivotally connected frames, scoopspivotally carried by said frames, levers mounted in said framesconnected to said scoops, pulleys carried by said levers, a cablepassing over said pulleys having its ends crossed and connected to saidscoops and a hoisting cable connected to said cable for the purpose setforth.

4:. A dredge comprising a pair of frames pivotally connected together,scoops pivotally mounted between the lower ends of the side bars of theframes carrying bails, crank shafts mounted in said frames connectedtogether by links, levers carried by said crank shafts connected to saidscoops, push bars, pulleys carried by said levers, a cable passing oversaid pulleys connected to the bails of the scoops, a hoisting cableconnected to said cable and a tripping cable connected to said scoops.

5. A dredge comprising a pair of frames pivotally connected together, attheir upper ends, guide rollers and pulleys carried by said frames,scoops pivotally mounted between the lower ends of the side bars of theframes, crank shafts mounted in said frames connected together by links,levers carried by said crank shafts provided with pulleys, push barsconnecting said levers to said scoops, a cable passing over the pulleysof the levers having its ends crossed and connected to the ends of thescoops and a tripping cable passing between said pulleys and rollers ofthe frames having-its ends connected to the scoops.

6. In a dredge the combination with a pair of frames pivotally connectedtogether, of scoops pivotally carried by said frames, levers pivotallymountedin said frames connected to said scoops by push bars, pulleyscarried by said levers, a cable passing over said pulleys having itsends connected to said scoops and a hoisting cable connected to saidcable.

7. In a dredge the combination with a pair of frames pivotally connectedtogether, of scoops pivotally mounted between the lower ends of the sidebars of said frames provided with bails, crank shafts mounted in saidframes, links connecting said crank shafts, levers carried by said crankshafts provided with pulleys at their lower ends, push rods pivotallyconnecting said levers to said scoops, a cable passing over the pulleysof said levers having its ends crossed and connected to the bails of thescoops and a tripping cable having its ends connected to the ends of thescoops between said pushing rods.

8. In a dredge the combination with a pair of frames pivotallyconnected. together and provided with guide rollers and pulleys, ofscoops pivotally mounted on the lower ends of said frames, provided withbails, crank shafts mounted in said frames connected together by links,levers carried by said crank shafts provided with pulleys,

push rods connecting the upper ends of said rollers and pulleys havingits ends consaid levers to the ends of said scoops, a cable nected toeyes carried by the ends of the passing over said pulleys having itsends scoops.

connected to the bails of the scoops a hoist- COKE W. BALLARD. ing cablecarrying a block connected to said Witnesses:

coupling member passing up between said J. D. DE TAR,

rollers and a tripping cable passing between C. W. WINGARD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

